Vestibule-car curtain-holder.



M. J. ROCHE.

VESTIBULE GAR CURTAIN HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1914.

1,097,469, Patented May 19, 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTUR .Z/urwe F06 A BY- aq fm ATTORNEYS M. J. ROCHE.

VESTIBULE GAR GURTAIN HOLDER.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 21, 1914.

Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES E INVENTOR Cy} Maurice .22280 6716 I 35' W a ATTORNEYS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA C tinirnn srATns PATENT orrron ILVIAURICE 3'. IttOCHE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOE 01E ONE-HALF TO JOHN A. HARTPENCE, F TRENTON, NEVJ JERSEY.

VES'IIBULE-CAR CURTAIN-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May .19, 1914.

Application filed January 21, 1914.. Serial No. 313,428.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MAURICE J. Return, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Vestibule Car Curtain- Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in curtain holders, and particularly to curtain holders for vestibule cars, and has for an object to provide an improved structure which may be readily attached and detached, and which will automatically become detached when a predetermined strain is brought thereon, whereby the curtain is released without tearing. Another object in view is to provide an improved coupling device for holding the curtains oi? cars which may have the position thereof varied so that the coupler may be pulled apart after a predetermined strain has been brought to bear thereon.

A still further object in view is to provide a coupling device which may be readily coupled up and readily uncoupled.

in carrying out the objects of the invention the coupling device may be used for coupling any article, as for instance, the curtain of a vestibule car, parts of a chain or other devices, the coupling means being interlocked through the intervention of a sliding sleeve which holds the interlocking portion of the coupler together. Vi hon the coupler is used for holding a car curtain in place a sleeve or housing is provided in which a spring is arranged designed to act upon the plunger which is formed with an enlarged coupling or interlocking head. This interlocking head is designed to interlock with a socket member divided into parts. in order to prevent the parts of the socket member from spreading and leaving the head of the reciprocating member a sleeve is provided which is mounted upon a tubular member or housing, which sleeve is adapted to slide over the socket member and thereby hold the same in engagement with the head of the reciprocating member. When a considerable strain is brought to bear upon the socket member the same will move the reciprocating member against the action of the spring until the socket member has passed the sleeve, whereupon the parts of the socket member will open and the head. will move back to its ori inal. position.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure l is a fragmentary sectional view through the abutting ends of two cars, an embodiment of the invention being shown applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view oi. the

curtain holder embodying the invention Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the curtain holder shown in Fig. 2, the same being shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 1- is a detailed perspective view of the socket menr ber; Fig. is a detailed perspective view of the sleeve designed to hold the socket member in place; Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of one end of a supporting rod connected to the curtain; Fig. l is a plan view of a slightly modified form of the in vention to that shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a detailed fragmentary view approximately on line 88 of Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is a sectional view through a slightly modified -form of coupler.

teterring to the accompanying drawings by numeral 1 indicates the end of a car and 2 the end of a similar car abutting car 1. The usual bellows 3 and 4 are provided for connecting these cars as the same are of the vestibule type usually found upon Pullnians, and upon other first class cars. in order to cover or hide the bellows 3 and 1, and to make the vestibule structure in keep ing with the remaining part of the car a curtain 5 is provided which is connected with car 2, for instance, and is unwound so that the opposite edge will be connected with car 1. Curtain 5 may be of any desired structure and provided with a roller (3 of any desired structure held in place in the usual. manner and wound by the usual spring. Connected to the bar 7 of curtain 5 are brackets 8 and 9 which firmly clamp the bar or rod 7, or if desired may pass ever part of the curtain 5 so as to clamp the curtain and bar 7 as shown in Fig. 2. The brackets 8 and 9 carry a supporting and guiding bar 10 for socket member 11. The socket member 11 is made in parts 12 and 13, part 12 being provided with a bifurcated portion 1d, and part 13 being provided with a tongue 15 interlocking, as shown in Fig. 4., and provided with apertures so as to slidingly fit over bar 10, whereby the socket member 11 may he slid freely up and down bar 10. Each of the parts 12 and 13 is provided with a bored out or hollowed out portion 16 which diverges from the outer end of the members 12 and 13 to near the inner end, whereby a chamber is provided for head 17 arranged on the reciprocating member or plunger 18. The reciprocating member or plunger 18 is threaded at its rear end so as to receive a combined nut and stop 19. Pressing against the nut 19 is a spring 20 which also presses against the shoulder 21 of the sleeve or housing 22, whereby the reciprocating member 18 is given a tendency to remain in an inner position as shown in Fig. 3, but may be readily moved therefrom by bringing spring 20 under compression. It will be evident that by the rotation of nut 19 the constant tension of sprin 20 may be varied so as to require a greater or less pull on head 17 to move the same. The sleeve or housing 22 is provided with a guiding bead 23 which is designed to fit into the notch 24: of nut 19 so as to prevent a rotation of nut 19, while in engagement therewith When it is desired to tighten nut 19 so as to bring spring 20 under constant tension head 17 is depressed so that nut 19 will be moved out of contact with bead 23 and thereby permitted to retate. Mounted upon the sleeve or housing 22 is a tubular member 25 (Fig. 5) which is slidingly mounted upon the casing, and which is adapted to be moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 so as to hold the members 12 and 13 in engagement with head 17. Member 25 is provided with one or more bayonet slots 26 through which suitable guiding pins 27 project, pin 27 being rigidly secured to housing 22. hen the sliding tubular member 25 is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the same is locked against rearward movement, and also holds the socket member 11 in place. Then an appreciable pulling strain is brought to bear upon socket 11 the same will move head 17 together with the reciprocating member 18 outwardly against the action of spring 20 until the ends of members 12 and 13 move past the tubular member 25, whereupon members 12 and 13 will separate and the reciprocating member 18 will move back to the position shown in Fig. 2. This is very desirable when the device is used upon cars as the curtain would break in case the cars separated unless the coupler automatically became disconnected. The spring 20 may be brought under any desired tension so that this disconnection or disenga ement of members may take place only at a prede termined pull or strain so that smal jerks and jars would not in any way affect the holder or coupling device."

In order that the coupling device may adjust itself properly to the movement of the cars the casing 22 is removably secured to the block 28 by any desired means, as for instance by being threaded at 22, as shown in Fig. 3. Block 28 is provided with an aperture through which the ournal member 29 passes, journal member 29 being arranged in arms 30 and 31 of member 32. The member 32 is pivotally mounted upon a bolt or securing pin 33 which is connected in any desired manner with a plate 34 secured to one of the cars by any desired means, as for instance screws.

in Fig. 7 will be seen a slightly modified form of the invention in which the casing 22 and associated parts are mounted, as

shown in Fig. 3, but the pivotally mounted member 32 is provided with an arm 35 which in turn is provided with a socket 36 designed to be hooked over member 10 or if desired hooked directly over bar 7 so as to hold curtain 5 properly in place even though the socket member 11 was absent. This structure, however, would have the result that the usual fastening means new in use have, namely, the tearing of curtain 5 in case the cars should pull apart. The member 32 in addition to arm 35 is provided with a retaining arm 37 which in turn is formed with a bore 38 containing a reciprocating pin 39 and a spring 40, which tends continually to force pin 39 into suitable apertures provided in plate 4. Pin 39 is provided with threaded extension which is engaged by a nut 41, whereby upon the rotation of nut 1-1 pin 36 is removed from either of the apertures 42 in plate 34. When the structure is in the position shown in Fig. 7 pin 39 is in one aperture 42 of plate 34, and when the member 32 is turned until the parts assemble in the position shown in Fig. 3 pin 39 will be moved to the other aperture 42,

In Fig. 9 will be disclosed a further slightly modified form of the invention in which the holder is in effect nothing but a coupler, and may be used for coupling curtains, chains or other devices. In this form of the invention the socket 11 is used but the housing 22 is eliminated. The head 17 is connected with a solid body 43 which may be connected in any desired manner to a chain or to a car so as to act as a coupler. The body 13 is provided with a tubular member or sleeve 25 constructed similar to tubular member 25 shown in Fig. 5. It is to be observed that the difference between this structure and that shown in 3 is the elimination of the spring 20 and associated parts so that the coupler cannot be pulled apart without breaking or without manually moving the sleeve or tubular member 25' back from the position properly encircling head 17.

W hat I claim is 1. In a curtain holder of the class described, a socket member connected with the curtain, a retaining member connected with said socket member, and means for locking the retaining member and socket member.

2. In a curtain holder of the class described, a socket member connected with the curtain, said socket member being formed with separable parts, said Jarts having hollowed out portions, a head it anged to it into the hollowed out portions of said parts, said head merging into a reciprocating member, a spring for manually holding said reciprocating member in a predetermined position, and means engaging said socket for holding; said parts in engagement with said head while said spring is holding said head in a predeteri'nined position.

3. in a holder for c'urtaii a bar connec ed with the curtain, a socket member siid ingly mounted on said bar, said socket member being formed with separable parts, a reci arocating member formed with a head fitting into said socket member, means for supporting said reciprocating member, a spring for holding said reciprocating member in a predetermined position, and a sleeve slidingly mounted on said means an 1. adapted to be slid over said socket member, whereby said socket incniljier is held in engagement with said head until said head and said reciprocating member are moved a predetermined distance against the action of said spring.

4. A holder for curtains con'iprising a socket meml'ier formed with separable parts, a head interlocking with said parts, a spring acting on said head for holding the same in a predetermined position, and a sleeve tor holding said socket member in engagement with said head.

in curtain. holder of the class de scribed, a socket member connected with a curtain and a retaining member connected with the opposite part" to that supporting the curtain, said socket member being formed in parts, said retaining member bc inn foru'ied with a housing, a reci 'nrocating member arranged in said housing formed with a head. for fitting into said socket i'nember, a sprhiig acting on said reciprocal:- ing mcml'ier ltor lmlding the same in a predetermined position, and a sliding sleeve or tubular member mounted. on paid housing and adapted to telescope over said socket member a predetermined distance for retaining the socket member in engagement with said head until the member has been moved pest said sleeve against the action of said s 'n'ing, whereby the device will. auto 'llmllClllj, become disconnected upon a predetermined. strain being exerted 'therion.

(3. in a hole r of the class described, a so :set men'iber formed with scpa able parts, an interlocking member CO-tlCflllg with said socl zet member formed with a head projecting; into said socket member, and a sleeve V L socket mounted to slide on said interlocking member, and to telescope over said socket member :tor holdin the socket member in engagement with said head.

7. it curtain holder oi the class described comprising a socket member slidingly mounted upon a curtain, said sliding connection with the curtain permitting a sliding movement of the socketmembcr, said srcket member being termed with separzble parts, a reciprocating member co-acting with gait" socket member, said reciprocating member being formed Will} a herd adapted to project into said socket member, an adjustable stop arranged in the end of said reciprocating member, a sleeve surrounding said recon-coating member for supporting and guiding the reciprocating member, a spring; acting against said sleeve and against said. step to r l eating member in, a predetermined position, and a sliding member mounted on the housing adapted to telescope ever part oi. said socket member for holding; the same in on gagement with said head until said recinre :aiiiug member has been moved a predetermined distance against the action of said spring.

in a curt; in holder of the class de scribed, a socket member swinggjingly and slidingly mounted upon the curtain and a retaining member pivoted to a support, the retaining member comprising an arm pivoted directly to said support and a socket interlocking member pivoted to said arm,

said last mentioned pivot cxtendin at at casing; for supporting said reciprocating 110 member, a spring acting on said fiQfllPlUkliiingmcnibcr tori sist'lng the movement thereof in one direction, and sliding member mounted in said :asing :ulaptcd to be moved so as to overlap said therebv hold said socket n ment ivit sak recip ()"ztb nieu'iber.

ln testimoinv whercol l: h inlne to this specification in two subscribing witnesses.

itlr tll. JCT

ember in engaget presence oi Witnesses it. ii. .lIrrci-im, l rim r l). ,liOLl/l inns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the llonimissioner ct Itatents,

llv'ashington, I). G."

normally holding the recipro- 80 a curtain holder of the class dea pivotal 1.05 1

socket member and 11.5 

